Miami Marlins can't solve Braves' Brandon Beachy in series finale

Teams split short two-game series after Beachy's first career complete-game shutout

May 17, 2012|By Coley Harvey, Sun Sentinel

ATLANTA — Rarely in a single game in the last 18 days have the Marlins had the type of collective, team wide struggles that encompassed the rather dreary showing they had Thursday night at Turner Field.

A night after earning a key win in the early-season National League East race, Miami experienced a bit of a setback against division-rival Atlanta, falling to 7-0 loss. It was only the Marlins' fourth loss in 16 games, and forced them into finishing this brief two-game series with a 1-1 split.

The defeat also kept alive a somewhat ominous franchise trend. The Marlins are now 4-14 all-time in games played on May 17.

In addition to their bats being silenced by hard-throwing right-hander Brandon Beachy, the Marlins saw defensive woes play a factor in the defeat as a few misplayed balls in the outfield resulted in Braves runs throughout the game.

"We've been playing very good defense, but (Thursday), we didn't play the way we thought we were going to play defense," Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen said. "I think we're a good defensive club, though. We just didn't do it (Thursday)."

Of the plays that didn't go Miami's way when it was out in the field was a line drive off Braves catcher Brian McCann's bat that hugged the left field line in the third inning. With Atlanta (24-15) holding a 2-0 lead and a run already in in the inning, Marlins left fielder Logan Morrison tried to come up with a run-preventing catch.

But Morrison's dive for the liner came up empty. The ball got past him, another run scored and McCann picked up a double.

"Tough ball, very tough," Guillen said. "That ball was right on the line. That's something where the guy gives you the best effort to catch it. He's been doing everything he can to make the play."

Morrison wished he could have gotten to the ball for his starter, Ricky Nolasco.

"I was trying to make a play but couldn't," Morrison said.

Offensively, the woes that existed for the Marlins (20-18) during the first month of the season came back. Atlanta starter Brandon Beachy (5-1), who now has a major league-leading 1.33 ERA, played a key role in bringing them back. Hitters had trouble getting on base against him, and when they did, the opportunities at turning the singles and doubles into scores were few and far between.

The Marlins had just five scattered hits against the 25-year-old Beachy, who picked up the first complete-game shutout of his young career. He also didn't surrender a walk, nor did he hit a batter.

"He kept the ball high and threw a lot of strikes," Guillen said. "That was the key. This kid has been really throwing the ball well. … To not get himself in trouble, that was the difference."

Only three Marlins baserunners made it to second base off Beachy. Each of them got to third, but were unable to be driven in.

After Miami had a string of multi-run innings in the series opener — they had three, and had a four-run fourth the night before at home against Pittsburgh — the dearth of run-scoring opportunities Thursday played a key role in the loss.

While Beachy was hot for Atlanta, Nolasco had a comparatively lukewarm showing for Miami. Staring at another chance at making franchise history, Nolasco flirted with, but ultimately failed to deliver on a milestone that he has been chasing for two weeks. It's one he's ready to put behind him, too.

Tied since May 6 with Dontrelle Willis on the Marlins' all-time career wins list, Nolasco sits just one victory shy of sole possession for the top spot. His next win will be the ever elusive 69th of his career.

Guillen called Nolasco's season-low four-inning outing a good one that was marred by the few unfortunate breaks in the field.

"We couldn't catch a break there," Nolasco said. "The ball was just finding the holes there, and there's nothing you can do. That's just baseball. I felt good. The result just wasn't what I or the team wanted to happen."